


X-men: Timewarp

by LithiumBlossom



Category: X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: 90s era, Gen, Rocky Horror Picture Show Shadowcast Performance, Team Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:27:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27975140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LithiumBlossom/pseuds/LithiumBlossom
Summary: Some of the X-men are taking some downtime by going to a Rocky Horror Picture Show event. Will this be a chance to bond more with time displaced mutant Bishop?
Comments: 1
Kudos: 5





	X-men: Timewarp

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thenewdarling](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thenewdarling/gifts).



> Inspired loosely by Uncanny X-men #311 and the 90s era in general. 
> 
> Performed for the first time on 8th December 2020 at Glasgow Open Mic Fanfic Night. 
> 
> My Secret Santa gift to thenewdarling.

Jubilee stood pacing at the front door of the Xavier Institute, the covert base of operations and home to the mutant superhero group known as the X-men. The sharp December chill slipped around the stately old oak door into the mansion. She stamped her feet not just from the invading cold but also from frustration.

“C’mon,” she shouted, “It’s only an hour until the show starts and I don’t wanna be stuck in the back row because you guys were dragging your heels again.”

“Just a minute,” rumbled back the always even and cheerful voice of Hank McCoy, “Good things come to those who wait my dear Jubilation Lee. You would not rush an artist while he is preparing his lines?”

His voice sounded a little distant, with a harsh metallic echo. Likely he was still trying to tear himself away from- whatever it was he was doing down in his lab tonight. She gave a theatrically drawn out groan of irritation, who knows how long he could be down there. She noticed the gesture had drawn the amused attention of another figure passing across the corridor, a smirking Bobby Drake. He was carrying a tray of food in his hands and she gave him a suspicious look.

“I’m guessing either you’ve developed the power to shovel that into your mouth in under a minute or you’re not coming.”

Bobby gave her a condescending grin, “Wow, right second time.”

“C’mon, I thought you’d be up for a night out,” she tried to pile on saccharinely, “It’s not a real party if Iceman doesn’t show up.”

“Nice try but I’m staying in tonight. Enjoy your loser movie.”

She smirked at that; she could see his overcompensation. Once again, the Iceman was trying to act cooler than he was. Maybe it was different when it was just him and Hank but the rest of the time he always acted so hard to see above it all around the rest of the team.

“Can I at least borrow a twenty off you? I’ll even get you popcorn with the change,” she slipped effortlessly back into flattery mode, making puppy dog eyes and clutching her hands.

“A movie ticket AND popcorn with one twenty? Good luck there,” Bobby snorted.

“Don’t worry mon Cherie,” a distinctively accented voice came from her right and she pivoted to see Remy strolling down the corridor, Rogue at his side, “Gambit to the rescue again.”

The Cajun extended his hand and with a deft flick a twenty bill suddenly appeared between his fingers. He bowed with a dramatic flourish as he presented it to her.

Jubilee excitedly snatched the money out his hand and clutched it reverently with both hands, discreetly examining to see if it was genuine.

“Did I ever say you were the best LeBeau,” she gushed rapidly, “The best, most generous of all the X-men.”

“Gambit knows it,” he drawled, winking one magenta eye.

Rogue chuckled to herself, beaming with amusement at the interaction.

“Just waiting on that blue fuzzball to roll out from his root cellar and we’re all good to go,” Rogue clapped her hands together cheerfully, “Unless we’re expecting anyone else along for this shindig?”

“I’m wondering if it’s now maybe too cold to go out now,” LeBeau said, casually slipping his arm around Rogue’s shoulders, “I can get a fire going in the lounge-“

Jubilee glared at him with a look of utter betrayal, visibly deflating, “Don’t back out now LeBeau. If Hank doesn’t show up who else is going to drive me?”

“Don’t be mean,” Rogue warned him, giving him a playful elbow to the ribs which drew an exaggerated wince.

He held his hands up in mock defeat, “Now how could I possibly disappoint you both if you put it like that.”

The final member of their party came bounding deftly down the main staircase. The blue furry form of Hank McCoy, otherwise known as the Beast, effortlessly performed some incredible acts of acrobatics before landing casually before them. He had dressed casually in shirt and slacks, a backpack tossed over one shoulder. Obviously with his fur the cold would be less of an issue for him.

“All present and correct it seems,” he mused loudly and cheerfully aloud, “Why soon we shall be settled in our seats enjoying the taste of cheap popcorn together. In the words of the great wordsmith Jim Carey- it is showtime.”

“We will be only if you shake a leg fuzzball.” Jubilee folded her arms.

Hank gave a chuckle, putting a large hand on her shoulder, “No need to keep our favourite mallrat waiting any longer. I’ll let you drive this evening Mister LeBeau.”

The small party left the mansion into it’s sprawling grounds, heading over to one of the cars parked in it’s long driveway. Piles of snow reflected the glow of the moon lending it a dreamlike quality. The air was cold enough to press down around them. She pulled her windbreaker tighter. It was pink and purple, found abandoned in a closet Jubilee had ducked into to avoid some drama. The name tag had been scribbled over too many times for her to know who it belonged to anymore but it was in her size, besides, retro was in just now and the pink complemented the colour of her shades. 

One of the snowbanks next to her suddenly shifted and she leaped aside, startled. A tall figure rose out of the tumbling snow and she instantly recognized it as her team-mate Bishop. He was the newest member of the team, a recent arrival from yet another nightmare future. He was still quite distant to them, adjusting to this strange new time he had arrived in which was often overwhelming to him.

She let out a loud sigh of relief, clutching her chest, “Woah, you gave me a fright there Bishop. What were you even doing there? Trying to replace Iceman or just taking brooding to a new level?”

“I was meditating,” Bishop said quietly, “It was something me and my sister did to hone our powers years ago.”

Jubilee saw in his eyes that his mind was focused on another time. She winced, perhaps she had been a little too close to the bone by saying he was brooding. An idea suddenly began forming in her mind and she glanced back at the others who had stopped to wait for her.

She gave Bishop her best, most infectious smile, “Hey big guy, I’ve got an idea. Why don’t you come along with us to the movies?”

He cocked his head uncertain, “I’m not sure. I should be guarding the Professor, watching the mansion’s security…”

Hank waved a comforting hand, “Our daring and astute leader Cyclops is currently with the Professor. I am sure he is more than capable of handling any security concerns that would arise. Particularly if we are but a quick journey away.”

Bishop hesitated, obviously weighing up the situation. He looked over his team-mates then at the X Mansion.

“C’mon, it’ll be fuuun.” Jubilee urged him.

“Alright then,” he conceded with a firm nod, “Lead on.”

The drive to Salem Centre was agonisingly slow for Jubilee, causing her to squirm and fidget despite Gambit’s cavalier driving.

“We need like an X-Car or something,” she huffed, folding her arms, “Something to get us places fast.”

“We have the Blackbird though,” Rogue challenged her, “It can break the sound barrier.”

“Yeah, but you can’t exactly take it to go the movies.”

She turned her attention back to Bishop to pass the time, “Do they have movies when you’re from? You ever been before?”

Bishop shook his head, “No. After everything that happened, we lost them. Only the lucky could still see them, and I wasn’t among them. Some people did remember them though and put on plays based on them. But I imagine it’s not the same.”

A wide grin spread across Jubilee’s face, “Then you’ll love this.”

They eventually arrived at their destination. The marquee of the movie theatre glowed brightly in the December night. Red letters stood out feeling larger than life.

Rocky Horror Picture Show. Special performance.

They left the warmth of the vehicle to dash to the door, joining the motley dressed crowd shuffling inside. Bishop looked around the crowd curiously, almost with a look of nostalgia.

“This isn’t normally how people in your time dress is it?” he asked confused.

“Special event,” Jubilee answered, “You’ll understand soon.”

Once they’d got their tickets and over-priced concessions they were ushered into the cinema and picked out their seats. Rogue and Gambit slunk off to the back row and Beast vanished entirely, leaving Jubilee and Bishop to sit together as close to the front as they could get. She settled in with her giant tub of popcorn and looked around. On her left was Bishop, he sat watching the screen intensely leaning on his elbows with his index fingers pressed to his lips. She smiled, feeling the anticipation rolling off him. She discreetly glanced to her right to see who was on the other side and ended up peering at them with unplaced recognition. Eventually she put two and two together and identified the small, lanky man poorly disguising himself with a pair of shades.

“Toad?” she quietly asked in disbelief.

The mutant supervillain sunk back into his seat, cringing away, “Oh no,” he moaned, “I just wanted one night without any superhero battles.”

“Don’t worry,” she cheerfully reassured him, “Sacred ground.”

The lights dimmed and the movie began to the appreciation of the crowd. The mystery of Beast’s disappearance was quickly solved as she recognised him as the shadow cast of the Criminologist. She also recognised the clothes and props he must have borrowed from Professor X. The audience reacted at all the right moments, an infectious mood of shared catharsis filling the room. She even picked out the distinctive voices of her teammates from the backrow. Through the movie she kept discreetly glancing over at Bishop. He sat motionless with the same expression that was a cocktail of bafflement and attention. She hoped she had not made a mistake and dragged him along to something he hated. While the crowd around them sang along, knowing the words off by heart it was the first time he had heard them. She worried it was maybe too much for him. Jubilee ended up finding solace by distracting herself with Tim Curry. 

Eventually the movie ended, the lights going back on. The shadow cast bowed, Jubilee making sure to clap particularly hard for Hank. People began to file out and she turned her attention back to Bishop. His eyes were still fixed on the screen. Nerves and anticipation wrestled in her stomach.

“So, what did you think?” she asked.

His body convulsed as a snort of laughter escaped him. Then another, louder. Then he broke into a deep laugh that rose from his core. Bishop wiped away tears as he let his laughter just escape him freely. Seeing someone normally so reserved, so adrift laugh so freely- it was infectious and she joined in as well.

A long time passed before their laughter dropped to wracking gasps, their sides hurting.

“I think I’m going to like it here after all,” Bishop smiled back at her.

She had made the right call after all, the warm glow of satisfaction flowing through her. For an evening at least she had taken the weight of two worlds off Bishop’s shoulders.


End file.
